No matter if you are new to the automated packaging equipment system or have an experience of years, you must have a good knowledge and awareness of how the packaging machines service and maintenance requirements are. And, who could be the best person to guide you over this than the manufacturer of the machines himself/ herself. Hence, prepare a list of some common questionnaires regarding the service and maintenance of the flow wrapping packaging machines that you must know the answers to. Here, we are sharing a few questions that you must ask your packaging machine manufacturer at the time of purchasing the machine.
Question 1: Is there any provision to provide training regarding how to operate the machine?
Well, knowing how to properly operate the flow wrapping packaging machine is quite essential. Hence, a lot many manufacturers provide a special training program in which they teach how to use their product in the best efficient way possible. These programs comprise every training right from setting up the machine to how to adjust, regulate, use the machine in the best manner. These programs will also teach about how to maintain the machine in the long run and what should be the first and important steps to be followed in case of getting any fault in the machine. However, there is another thing that needs to be clear while purchasing these machines. These operator training programs are generally not free of charge; hence, you must ask your packaging machine manufacturer regarding the cost, if there is any.
Question 2: Do you provide the spare parts recommendations regarding the machine?
There are numbers of mechanical and electrical parts assembled in the automatic packaging machines. These parts need to be changed and/ or repaired frequently to get the best output from the equipment. Hence, your packaging machine manufacturer must provide you with the list of every spare part that is used in the machine. Along with that, your manufacturer must tell you when and how these parts should be changed or repaired. In case the machine has some spare parts that the manufacturer does not provide, he or she must tell you where can you get those spare parts and at what cost. Though the best thing is that your manufacture has full control over each and every part that is used in the making of the machine. This way, you will not have to wait for the damaged spare part to be shipped from somewhere else while your machine is down.
Question 3: Does your machine manufacturer provide a plant visit for regular or seasonal service assessments?
What could be better if your machine manufacturer or any other associated certified technician visits your plant regularly for checking how your machine is working, right? A lot many packaging machine manufacturers provide their customers with a full inspection and assessment service for a specific period after the purchase. This way, not only you will get the best out of your machine but your manufacturer will also get to know the common faults and defects their products are facing. Generally, the packaging machine manufacturers charge an additional cost for the regular inspection. However, it is still beneficial for you to opt for the regular assessment service from your manufacturer.
Question 4: Do you have an in-house or third-party technician for the service and maintenance of the machine?
Not many people understand the importance of this question. However, having an in-house service and maintenance technicians for such machines is always better than the third-party technicians. The reason being is that the in-house technicians are the experts who would on the same types of machines and have the knowledge of every model of their company’s products. Third-party technicians, on the other hand, often work on various brands and products at the same time, hence it always involves a certain amount of risk. Hence, you should always prefer the packaging machine manufacturer that has the in-house technicians for the machine service and maintenance.
Question 5: Do you provide some kind of remote support?
Nowadays, a lot many packaging equipment are built in a way that they can be accessed remotely to diagnose almost 90% of all the problems that generally occur. And if not, many of such common problems are often diagnosed with a phone call as well. Hence, your packaging machine manufacturer must provide you with the phone assistance, if not the remote support. However, one thing to make sure here is that the cost of the phone or remote assistance provided by the manufacturer can be included or excluded in the initial cost of the machine.
